Sports Business

• A job very well done by Red Bull [Red Bull's Project X = Sports Marketing Idea of the Year].
• Maybe not the world just yet, but starting off at the high school level is a good strategy [Can Under Armour, IMG Take the World By Storm?].
• St-Pierre t0 serve as the face of Under Armour’s Underwear [Under Armour signs UFC champ Georges St-Pierre to multi-year endorsement deal].
• I actually just yesterday had this discussion with somebody [End of the Day, Live Events Make Sports, Brands, King…].

Baseball

• A little baseball trademark law conversation [Wide world of ‘Series’].

Football

• No sense of urgency on the part of the owners [League rejects "lock-in" bargaining proposal].
• A two-paragraph statement that included no explanation – bothers me [Bryant loses final appeal].

Basketball

• BJ Armstrong answers a few questions while promoting the launch of Windows 7 [An Interview with BJ Armstrong].

What: 7th Annual Relay Worldwide Sports Sponsorship Symposium by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily

When: Wednesday, Sept. 30 – Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009

Where: New York City, NY at the Marriott Marquis

Keynote: Uli Becker, CEO and President, Reebok International

Panels:

Sept. 30

• 7:30 a.m. – Registration
• 8:30 a.m. – Welcome and Opening Remarks
  • Richard Weiss, Publisher, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal/Daily
  • Tim Mauer, CEO, Relay Worldwide
• 8:45 a.m. – The Recalibration of Sports Sponsorships and Event Marketing
  • Rich Lehrfeld, VP of Global Sponsorship Marketing, American Express
  • Tim McGhee, Exec Director of Corporate Sponsorships, AT&T
  • Dan McHugh, VP of Media, Sponsorship, and Activation, Anheuser-Busch
  • Scott O’Neil, President of MSG Sports
  • Matt Pensinger, Senior VP of Marketing Services and Consulting, Relay Worldwide
  • Mark Waller, Senior VP of Marketing and Sales, NFL
• 9:45 a.m. – The Rebranding of Gatorade: Inside the G Launch and Defending Against Competition in the Sports Drink Market
  • Sarah Robb O’Hagan, CMO of Gatorade
• 11:00 a.m. – The New Realities of Marketing: The Chief Marketers’ Perspective
  • Phil Clement, Global CMO and Communications Officer, Aon
  • Rory Finlay, Senior VP and Global CMO, Beam Global Spirits & Wine
  • Mark Ingall, Managing Director of Global Strategic Media and Marketing, Citigroup
  • Stewart Mitchell, Senior VP and Chief Strategy Officer, Sharp Electronics
  • Tony Pace, CMO of Subway
• 12:00 p.m. – Lunch
• 2:00 p.m. – Anatomy of the Procter & Gamble/NFL Sponsorship
  • Jason Dial, architect of the deal.
• 2:45 p.m. – Marketing to Hispanics: Leveraging Their Passion for Soccer and Other Sports
  • Marco Lopez, Senior Director of Relay Worldwide’s Hispanic Marketing practice
• 4:00 p.m. – The Ever-Changing Athlete Endorsement and Talent Procurement Business
  • Steve Battista, Senior VP of Branding, Under Armour
  • Frank Mahar, General Counsel, Genesco Sports Enterprises
  • Mike Principe, Managing Director, BEST
  • Ryan Steelberg, CEO, Brand Affinity Technologies
• 5:00 p.m. – Reception

Oct 1.

• 8:00 a.m. – Continental Breakfast
• 8:30 a.m. – Keynote Speech
• 9:15 a.m. – How the Sports Media Business and Media Buying are Changing Before Our Very Eyes
  • Ray Warren, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, Comcast SportsNet
  • Jeff Flemings, Senior VP and Global Head of Social, VivaKi
  • Eric Fernandez, Senior Partner, MediaLink
  • Ed Erhardt, President, ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales
• 10:45 a.m. – Lifelock Makes its Mark in Sports
  • Todd Davis, CEO, Lifelock
• 11:30 a.m. – Up Next: A Futurecast on the Challenges in Sports and the Changes in Consumer Behavior
  • Rich Luker, CEO, The Luker Co.
  • Jerome Conlon, President, Brand Frameworks
  • Ben Kline, Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett
  • Scott Hess, VP of Insights, Tru
  • Pat O’Connor, President, Minor League Baseball
• 12:30 p.m. – Conference Conclusion

Cost: $1,495 for SportsBusiness Journal paid subscribers. $1,650 for non-SportsBusiness Journal paid subscribers. Must register by September 23. Click here to register.

A good college friend and fraternity brother of mine, Adam Silverstein (@onlygators on Twitter) sent me a message to check out David Canter’s tweets criticizing Under Armor and the ad company that created UA’s new advertisement…and then his tweets backtracking from pressure yesterday.  Canter’s criticism was blasted using Twitter as his medium of choice, which is why I wondered to myself why I didn’t catch it without being notified.  Then I checked Canter’s Twitter page.  The DEC Management principal, who I considered a friend, apparently does not want me following his progress.  This is the note I received when I clicked the “Follow” button:

You have been blocked from following this account at the request of the user.

Oh well.  Anyway, Canter’s tweets from July 19th read:

Someone please fire the ad agency that did the new Devin Hester Under Armour ads. Wow beyond awful

@darrenrovell1 disappointing stuff to say the least– short UA stock– hester isnt a big enough name and the spots were atrocious

@darrenrovell1 is Darren Rovell,a sports business specialist at CNBC.  Canter’s statement yesterday:

I apologize if my advertising and comments offended any corporations last night- it wasn’t meant to hurt- only to be constructive criticism.

There is no problem with having opinions.  There is a problem with vocalizing those opinions when they reflect poorly on your company and your clients.  See one of Canter’s clients from this year’s NFL draft recently signed a deal with Under Armour.  In fact, Canter tweeted about it on June 22nd:

CONGRATULATIONS TO DEC MANAGEMENT CLIENT PAUL KRUGER WHO JUST SIGNED A NEW TWO YEAR DEAL TO ENDORSE UNDER ARMOUR

This post is not intended to harm Canter’s reputation (although I am a little disappointed that he decided to block me on Twitter), but instead to make people realize that what they say (especially on Twitter) cannot be erased.  And those statements, when you are an agent, go well beyond reflecting poorly on your own image.  It can hurt your clients as well.  We need to make sure to place damage controls on our clients’ usage of social media sites, and we should remember to think twice about what we say before we go tweeting away.

Remember that Twitter is a very powerful medium to promote players and your own business.  In the same respect, saying the wrong thing has its negative consequences.  One thing I will point out is that I give Canter credit for immediately apologizing for his remarks.  He owned up to his mistake and should be forgiven for it.

Anyone purchase their TeeBows yet?  How long until a lawsuit shuts that site down?  Okay, so I have 4 finals out of the way and only 1 left, sitting there laughing at me.  His name is Corporations and I will battle him at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.  Then it’s back to business as usual, but that business will be conducted down in South Florida for a couple of weeks.  I have Blue Key induction tomorrow night.  Interestingly, Tim Tebow, is in my induction class and Urban Meyer will be an honorary inductee.  Here are some stories I missed over the past week:

Basketball

• Starting next year, underclassmen will only have until May 8 to test the waters [NBA draft entrants to get shorter decision time].
• In the thick of the playoffs and leading up to the draft…why not a Carnival? [Carnival of the NBA #64].
• Think any agents have talked to this kid yet? [Athlete Chat: Kelvin Amayo]

Sports Business

• Twitter mentions to become a standard part of endorsement contracts? [And now, a tweet from our sponsors]
• As I mentioned in my interview with Paul Swann, professional athletes need to be very careful managing online persona [The Brian Wilson Twitter Saga].
• Start reaching out to UA to procure those shoe endorsement deals [Under Armour Now Officially A Shoe Company].

Football

• A small agency that worked hard for its clients and got 5 of them signed after the draft [NFL: Local agent has five clients sign deals or get invited to camp].

Baseball

• The Yankees are worth a lot of money [Baseball's Most Valuable Teams].

This Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up is proudly sponsored by:

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In every generation, one athlete makes a bold move, laces up a new pair of shoes never seen before, and does something that turns the footwear industry on its head.  In 1936, Adi Dassler came to the Berlin Games with a suitcase of track spikes and persuaded Jesse Owens to give them a try.  When Owens won 4 gold medals, he was catapulted to superstar status along with the adidas shoes he was wearing.

32 years later, when Tommie Smith took the 200M gold in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, he stood on the podium with a clenched fist high above his head and a pair of Puma suede shoes at his feet.  Walt Frazier would also don Puma shoes that year, triggering a fan base a million strong to follow “Clyde’s” impeccable style.

On the heels of Michael Jordan, basketball-newcomer Nike soared past the competition in 1985 with the release of the Air Jordan line.  As we approach the silver anniversary of MJ’s grand entrance into the NBA, Nike still reigns supreme in the sporting goods industry.  History tells us that can change instantly when a star athlete bucks the norm to begin a different movement.  The next seismic shift in the shoe landscape could be on the horizon, or overseas to be more exact.

Brandon Jennings has been a trendsetter since he skipped out on college hoops to play professionally in Italy for his “purgatory year” between high school and the NBA.  On the business side of the game, Jennings signed a deal to be Under Armour’s first basketball endorser.  The Maryland-based company is betting millions that Jennings can be a catalyst for a new generation of shoes and are promoting Brandon with his very own website (wheninrome.underarmour.com) and the “Young Money” prototype kicks that have all the sneaker blogs buzzing.

The Under Armour of today parallels the pre-Jordan Nike in many ways.  Both built strong brands in other markets (Under Armour in performance apparel and football, Nike in running) before breaking into hoops.  To gain entry into the lucrative basketball shoe market, they signed young standout players on the cusp of entering the league.  Both Jordan and Jennings were innovators mentored by the sneaker guru himself, Sonny Vaccaro.  Will the similarities end there?  We won’t know for some time, but the battle over the feet of ballplayers and the thousand of kids that follow their steps is overdue for the next big shoe craze.  Maybe the next big shoe tagline will read, “Be Like Brandon.”

Book to Read:  Sneaker Wars by Barbara Smith (http://www.amazon.com/Sneaker-Wars-Brothers-Founded-Business/dp/0061246573)

Article to Read: The Last Don by Ric Bucher (http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol5no23vaccaro.html)

Stephenson, a guard for Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, which is known for producing stars such as Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, is the ninth-ranked prospect in the class of 2009 according to Rivals.com.

Some insight into his recruiting situation first comes with the fact that Lincoln is an Adidas-sponsored program, but this arrangement doesn’t stop Stephenson from sporting his Nike produced Air Jordans each game. Despite his loyalty, Stephenson was not asked to participate in the Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden on April 18, some believe due to Lincoln’s deal with Adidas.

Stephenson’s recruiting trail heats up when his prospective schools are considered. The 6-foot-5 blue-chip prospect is considering St. John’s (a Nike school), Kansas (an Adidas school), and Maryland (an Under Armour school).

Recently, Stephenson’s shoe-deal entwined courtship became more muddled when he visited the Maryland campus and was given a tour of the Under Armour site, which is owned and operated by former Maryland football player and current Board of Trustee’s member, Kevin Plank. The Washington Post first broke the story of this potential recruiting violation and the school has been investigating.

It has been rumored that some top players may have been advised to consider Maryland because of the school’s ties with Under Armour, according to a source close to the situation.

Plank plans to unveil his line of basketball shoes in 2010, but has been building relationships with high school athletes that have been targeted as potential representatives of the product line, including Stephenson. Lincoln has also “wear-tested” several Under Armour products. Currently, Under Armour has deals with over 70 collegiate programs, including Auburn, Texas Tech, and South Florida, in addition to Maryland.

To say Stephenson will base the majority of his decision on the shoes a school wears is preposterous, but clearly it will be some-what of a factor in his choice, which says a lot about the current state of recruiting and the effects of school’s ties to company sponsorships. Many “one-and-done” basketball players may want to lock up a potential shoe deal early on, potentially having an immense impact on the recruiting process.

Stephenson is still looking at schools and has said he could announce his college commitment on March 21 after the PSAL championship game, which Lincoln has won the past three years, but his answer to where he will play in college may already be laced up.

In a previous post, I described the predicament that Jennings was in.  Brandon Jennings was the first prep to pro basketball star from North America to play in Europe.  Because of low SAT scores and the coaching turmoil at Arizona, he decided to forgo playing college ball and headed to play professionally for Virtus Roma.

Jennings’ flashy play and high top hair cut attracted enough attention, but this unprecedented move to play in Italy for millions caused many to question Jennings.  Others thought he could be a trend setter for many future young players, who because of the NBA’s “one and done” college age restrictions, would rather make go overseas and make millions instead of playing one year of college ball.

Jennings signed with Roma for $1.65 million, but has a buyout clause in his contract that would allow him to leave after each season if he were to pursue his NBA dream.  Jennings has said multiple times that this the NBA is a definite for him.  He will likely leave Italy after this season and become an NBA lottery pick in 09′.  Many scouts and coaches have compared him to the Spanish star Ricky Rubio, who played in the same league. Comparisons to Europe’s best is great for Jennings, however players who have guarded both say that Jennings is even better than Rubio at 18.

Jennings and all his flash and hype came to Italy with high expectations.  He was soon humbled, where the real Brandon Jennings finally emerged.  His first week at practice in Italy, Jennings was kicked out of practice for “slacking” on his cuts during practice when going over the new plays.  Jennings was stunned and amazed.  He could act any way he wanted at practices in high school, but not in Europe.  After a conversation with Ray Allen, he quickly regained his composure and was able to step it up, giving himself and his teammates the confidence they needed in their million dollar point guard.

From that day forward, Jennings has continued to improve physically in the weight room and mentally with his decision making on and off the court.  And although he still spends a  lot of money of thousand dollar Gucci and Dolce backpacks and bags, he is learning the Italian culture and emerging as a potential NBA leader in the future.

Jennings’ personality really doesn’t match his flashy hair and upbeat style of play on the court.  He is a momma’s boy at heart and really only associates with his brother, mother and teammates in Italy.  It appears that Jennings is getting a real education overseas, and will surely be better off because of it.

Going overseas instead of attending college has its ups and downs, and although many others might not choose the route “Young Money” has taken, his voyage will certainly shed light unto the the rest of us.  We can see if and how many others follow in his shoes.

Visit Jennings blog, When In Rome to check out the latest updates on Brandon Jennings and how he is progressing in Italy.  His blog addresses the latest on-court issues, along with features such as his favorite music, movies, and the newst Under Armour gear.

Texas Tech University and Under Armour, Inc. today announced a new partnership that designates Under Armour as the university’s exclusive performance footwear and apparel outfitter. The five-year, $11 million agreement gives Under Armour the right to provide uniforms, apparel and footwear to each of the university’s 17 varsity athletic teams.

“We are proud to join in this association with Under Armour and its world-wide recognizable brand,” said Gerald Myers, Director of Athletics. “This is an exciting day for Texas Tech Athletics and a proud moment in our program’s history. Under Armour will provide apparel and footwear for each of our 17 sports, giving Texas Tech Athletics an identifiable presence with the Double T side-by-side with the Under Armour logo. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Under Armour and appreciate everything they have done to help make this possible.”

Beginning in July 2009, the Texas Tech intercollegiate players and coaches will be outfitted in Under Armour performance apparel, footwear and accessories from head to toe. In addition, the university’s new department-wide outfitter agreement includes an annual Under Armour product allowance as well as a rights fee, marketing entitlements, event tickets, and retail licensing rights.

The Texas Tech partnership comes on the heels of the department-wide deal with the University of Maryland athletics this past September.

All participants in the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine presented by Under Armour will be wearing Under Armour performance apparel designed specifically for the Combine, slated for February 18 – 24, 2009 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. In addition, there will be extensive Under Armour branding throughout Lucas Oil Stadium during the event.  Under Armour also will sponsor coverage of the Combine across multiple NFL platforms, including NFL Network, NFL.com and NFL.com Wireless.

Under Armour will sponsor NFL Network’s extensive combine coverage. Last year, NFL Network provided 26 hours of coverage that incorporated the use of a record 12 cameras, an on-screen graphics panel highlighting workout results, and interviews with participants following drills. Under Armour also will present the following features:

• NFL.com Combine Live, which will provide approximately three hours of live Combine coverage during each workout day on NFL.com to complement the coverage on NFL Network.

• NFL Network Video On Demand, which will be made available for download through select digital cable providers prior to the 2009 NFL Draft to give users a more in-depth look at the participants. NFL Network Video on Demand will feature 100 participant bios including exclusive Combine footage, providing fans better insight to the Draft.

In addition, Under Armour will have a presence at this year’s NFL Experience at Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay. Under Armour will replicate some of the drills from the Combine at NFL Experience, including the “Run to Daylight” where fans will have a chance to run the 40-yard dash against video footage of a life-size NFL player.

I must say that I continue to love every move made by this entrepreneurial and innovative company.  It is definitely hard to take on a giant (in Nike and other established brands like Reebok and adidas), but in a short amount of time, Under Armour has already left an imprint on football (high school and college), baseball, and is now getting into basketball and professional football.  While its stock may fluctuate by the day (which stock is not volatile in this market?), I like its business plan and believe that the Under Armour brand is as strong as ever.  This is just one more step in the right direction.

From UnderArmour’s press release:

The signing of Jennings comes on the heels of the brand’s recent announcement that it would outfit the University of Maryland mens’ and women’s basketball teams head-to-toe next year. Under Armour also sponsored the third annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 high school basketball showcase this past summer as well as the sponsorship of the Capital Classic last April.

“We are proud to welcome Brandon Jennings as the first Under Armour basketball athlete,” said Kevin Plank, Under Armour, Chairman and CEO. “He is an extremely talented and fearless player with the skill set to become a game-changer internationally. Brandon’s attitude and his dedication to hard-work make him the ideal athlete to represent the Under Armour brand.”

“I am extremely excited to be the first athlete selected to represent Under Armour Basketball,” said Jennings. I’ve always prided myself on being one step ahead of the pack and true to my beliefs like my journey to play professionally in Europe. I look forward to my role as a global ambassador for Under Armour basketball.”

“Brandon has the ability to perform at the highest levels and the personality to capture the imagination of the public,” said basketball advisor to Jennings, Sonny Vaccaro. He is without a doubt one of the most driven players that I have ever watched and by choosing to play in Europe as a high school player, he is doing what no other basketball player has ever done. This will go down in history as a landmark decision…. from Compton to Rome….Brandon Jennings did it first.”

In October 2008, Under Armour will launch a special Brandon Jennings blog on www.underarmour.com. The blog will allow fans the opportunity to follow Brandon’s experiences in Rome and his pursuit of his athletic goals.

I’ll be adding that feed to my RSS reader!  This is very exciting news, and I am happy for Jennings and UnderArmour.  I believe that both entities will benefit tremendously from this relationship.  Two young entrepreneurs, one a basketball and another an equipment manufacturer are aligned in a partnership that should last for a while.

I wonder how much the deal between Jennings and UA is for.  Any thoughts?  The top of this year’s NBA Draft class did not get much more than $1 million.